Portrait of Margherita De Donà Calzavara

Margherita De Donà Calzavara is depicted full-length, in the act of getting into (or out of) a modern carriage. The elegance of the trailing dress and the refinement of the details (the lace sleeves, the red cloak, the voluminous hat) clearly indicate the woman’s high social status. The sharp definition of the foreground, with the more "technical" details of the carriage, contrasts with the loose brushstrokes of the background, which outline the indistinct mass of the natural environment. In this painting, Erler responds to the commissioner's request to create a portrait with an official tone: the stillness of the pose, accentuated by the figure’s elevated position on the platform, is softened, however, by the humanity that shines through the features of the face.

The work became part of the Treviso Civic Collections thanks to a donation from the Calzavara heirs.